From the category archives:

Family Dentistry

Using the right amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush is very important; probably just as important as what kind of toothpaste you use. Commercials and ads show a long strip of toothpaste covering the whole toothbrush bristles, but this is a common mistake that people make.

If too much toothpaste is used, a few bad things happen.  Firstly, you will end up spending more money on toothpaste.  Second, you will be almost required to brush your teeth in the bathroom or near a sink because your mouth will foam up quickly; this also will make you want to brush for a shorter time.  Lastly, you will be desensitising your tongue.  To explain, your tongue will be tasting a bunch of yummy minty toothpaste and won’t feel the cavity bugs on your teeth.

These three things (and others) results in less than effective tooth brushing. The recommended dosage of toothpaste is about the size of the tip of your pinky finger for adults, and a pea sized for children under the age of 6.  And, some dental professionals even recommend brushing without toothpaste for two to four minutes, until your teeth are clean, then introducing toothpaste to freshen breath, add fluoride, and remove stain.  Google “two way toothbrushing” if you want to learn more about the dry brushing technique.

But back to toothpaste, the best advice for choosing the right kind of toothpaste would be to become a label reader. Most toothpaste has the exact same ingredients but are marketed differently.

Good luck!

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The Confusion about Toothpaste – Part 1 of 2

There are whole aisles dedicated to toothpaste in stores, as well as hundreds of toothpaste commercials on television. This can make it very confusing on which toothpaste to buy. All toothpaste have a few main ingredients; water, abrasives, surfactants and fluoride. Abrasives polish teeth by helping to scrape food and some stain off your teeth. [...]

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Sweet Liquids | Part Two of Two

Last month we talked about sweet liquids, and common misconceptions among parents. For example, although juices may be good for children’s bodies by giving them the vitamins they need, the bacteria in the mouth use natural sugars the same as sugar added to food or soda pop.  Even if juice is diluted in water, it [...]

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Sweet Liquids | Part One of Two

A common misconception among parents is that juice and other fruity drinks do not cause cavities.  Although juices may be good for children’s bodies by giving them the vitamins they need, the bacteria in the mouth use natural sugars the same as sugar added to food or soda pop.  Even if juice is diluted in [...]

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Dental Check-ups | When should your child receive dental check-ups?

It can get kind of confusing to determine when to make your child a dental appointment.  Some people hear of dentists not accepting children as patients until a certain age.  Although there are different rules for different offices, the American Dental Association recommends a child be seen after his or her first birthday.  Even when [...]

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Family Dentistry | Assess your caries risk at your next appointment

Before 2007 if you had decay, dentists and hygienists were limited in what they could offer to prevent tooth decay: improve your cleaning skills – Brush, Floss, Rinse, Fluoride, etc. Landmark research, published in 2007 (Journal, CDA, October, November) marked a turning point in fighting tooth decay. No longer must we solely focus on one’s [...]

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Family Dentistry | Wiggle and Sun Shine

Children have their own language. So do dentists! Wiggle and sun shine, sleepy juice, Mr. Slurpee, Mr. Bumpy, wind, water, and many more. So why is a special language important? And what does it mean to have a tooth wiggled and have the sun shine? Well, read on… Pain is the main motivator for many [...]

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Six Years Old: Adult Teeth, but Still a Child

Erupting with a slowly moving and ever progressing momentum, at around age six, the first molars emerge. Usually, a dull tooth pain is the first sign of what is to come. Later, a bulge of the gums, and finally the point of a tooth proclaims its presence. With the new “six year molars” comes new [...]

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Why Flossing Matters

Dental floss. Whoever invented it is both a genius and a common frustration. Although there are many ways to clean between teeth, floss is the most common tool promoted by dentists. Yet, how many people actually floss every day? In college at UC Davis, I spent one year in the dorms, as most freshman do. [...]

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Kids Dental Visits: a How-to Guide

It is a common misconception that children don’t like dentists. The truth is that kids love dentists! Don’t believe me? Dentists are a lot like police officers. No one wants to be in a police officer’s chair. Whenever you see a cop, someone is in trouble. And unless you really need an officer, you’re pretty [...]

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toothbrushes

Two-way teeth brushing

Get the most out of your teeth brushing efforts by following our recommended "two-way brushing" method. Click here to download these handy directions.
(Tip! Print it out and post it where you brush your teeth!)
Leon, Chris, Mike Nelson, DDS

Three generations of Nelson dentists dedicated to you!

Giving “family dentistry” a new meaning, I'm proud to follow in my father's footsteps, Leon Nelson DDS, who practiced in Redding for 44 years. Now my son Chris Nelson has joined us! Read our story “The Dental Incredibles” (PDF).